Capturing Regrets
by solitaryloner
Summary: Rinto Kagamine had always been loyal to his prince, doing whatever it was his prince asked of him. One day, his prince sent him to find a creature of myth and legend - a siren, beings whose beautiful singing lured sailors to their deaths. Rinto thought that his task was simple enough. Until he captures an actual siren - a delicate creature he couldn't seem to resist. RintoXMiku.
1. Chapter 1

_**Solitaryloner: **This story was inspired by This Is The Happiness and Peace Of Mind Committee, by Miku. An awesome song, go take a listen to it. I'd like to dedicate this little story to Victim of Doubt for introducing that lovely song to me! I really love the tune and all._

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Sirens. What were they? Creatures of ancient myth and legend. Legendary for their lovely singing, they lured sailors to their deaths through their hauntingly beautiful voices. Sailors out at sea, caught unaware by the haunting melody of a siren's song, couldn't help steering their ships closer to the source of the music.

And that was why they all perished, for sirens resided on rocky little islands, islands surrounded by sharp and jagged rocks. Mesmerised by the tuneful singing of the sirens, sailors forgot to steer their ships, sailing right into the jagged rocks. The rocks dashed the ships into tiny little pieces, and the sailors perished in the stormy waters, the alluring music being the last thing they ever heard.

Which was why Rinto Kagamine had completely no idea why his cousin, the prince of their country, wanted to capture a siren. His cousin Len Kagamine was the same age as he was, but he was far more reckless than Rinto was. Rinto was considered a royal too, but because he wasn't the direct son of the king, he wasn't the next in line for the throne. He was...the third in line, after his own father and after Len.

Even now, Rinto was sitting next to Len, who was looking stubborn, his blue eyes narrowed at him. The silken blond hair, like spun gold, that both he and Len shared shone in the sunlight, gleaming off the golden strands. But where Rinto's hair was loose and chin length, brushing lightly against his shoulders, Len's slightly longer hair was twisted up into a small ponytail. Rinto knew they both resembled.

Then again, they were cousins. That resemblance was only to be expected. He sighed, running his fingers through his own blond hair as he attempted to dissuade Len from carrying out his thoughtless plan. ''Len. You have completely no idea whether sirens are real or not. And if they are...they're dangerous. They cause the deaths of sailors, out at sea. Don't you think this is all rather reckless?''

Len folded his arms, blue eyes glinting with a stubborn determination. Rinto admired the dogged stubbornness that the prince possessed, but sometimes that same stubbornness made him long to reach out and wrap his fingers around Len's neck, throttling him to knock some sense into the blond idiot. ''It doesn't matter how reckless the idea is. Think about it. If we could catch a siren, wouldn't that be good?''

''How is that good?'' Rinto arched an eyebrow, tilting his head up to stare into the cloudless blue sky. One thing he would never understand was how Len's mind worked. The prince operated on a certain logic which Rinto simply could not comprehend. Either Rinto was an idiot, or the prince's thinking just never made any sense. Rinto preferred to think that it was the latter. He was rather sure he was no idiot.

''Then we could finally confirm whether sirens exist or not. And if they did, then that could set the path to proving hundreds of other legends - like the mermaids, the nymphs, the dryads. Even the presence of the gods themselves!'' Len's blue eyes shone with conviction. ''And if we prove their existence...well, I'd like to be the one to prove it. It'd be interesting, and anyway I don't ever have anything fun to do here.''

''You're supposed to be learning how to rule your country,'' Rinto rolled his eyes, trying to drill logic into his cousin's thick skull. Not that his attempts to knock some sense into Len's head ever worked. ''You're most definitely not supposed to be risking your life doing stupid things. Like looking for creatures that almost certainly don't exist. Have you ever thought of the possible consequences of this trip?''

''I have,'' Len sighed, rolling his own eyes in disdain. ''I'm not stupid, despite what you think. And how would you know that sirens don't really exist? There's always some basis for truth, in every single myth and legend. If sirens didn't exist, how would you explain the deaths of all those sailors? Even sailors who were reputed for their seamanship, their skill at sailing in even the roughest seas?''

Rinto hesitated. That was one thing he couldn't argue with. If only a few sailors had ever died out at sea, he could explain it away by saying that they were careless. Or they had been drunk. But good men had died out in those seas, experienced sailors and seamen who had spent practically their whole lives aboard their ships. Carelessness or drunkenness couldn't be the reasons for their deaths, out at sea.

''Perhaps it was stormy weather. You know how unpredictable seas can be. Or they ran into a lodestone. That would cause all the bolts in their ships to be sucked out, and the ships would fall apart and sink, leading to their deaths,'' he finally said lamely. ''There could be hundreds of different explanations for all those sailors' deaths. It doesn't necessarily mean that sirens exist, Len. They're just myths.''

''Myths always have some small grain of truth in them - as I've said before.'' Len's voice was soft. ''Rough weather? Lodestones? Don't insult their memories, Rinto. The very commander of our naval fleet died out at sea. He wasn't a man who would've let storms or lodestones faze him. He had maps of the seas...he would've known to avoid all natural magnets, like lodestones. No, his death wasn't natural.''

''Whirlpools, perhaps. Or other natural disasters. You wouldn't know. It's not like our nautical charts have plotted every single danger - he could have sailed right into some form of undocumented danger, and failed to escape. How would you know that he died? Maybe he's in another land, safe and sound. Maybe he's so happy in a foreign land that he decided not to risk his life and sail all the way back here.''

Len shot him a droll look. ''Our naval commander?'' he asked dryly. ''The most loyal man my father had ever known? I highly doubt that he would abandon this country. He was a steadfast patriot, and he would die for my father.'' Len's gaze turned sad. ''It's been eight years, Rinto. He's not coming back. He died out at sea, and the cause of his death can't possibly be natural. I have to see if sirens exist.''

''Are you intending to capture a siren for revenge?'' Rinto's voice dropped to a low whisper. ''Just in case...sirens really exist? You seem to think that sirens were the cause of our naval commander's death.'' At the thought of the man, Rinto heaved a sigh - the commander had been a close friend of the king, and he had been like a father to both Len and Rinto, whose own fathers were too busy ruling and governing.

He could understand if Len was feeling upset over the commander's death - but sailing out into dangerous, open sea was a foolish idea, even if it was for revenge. No one knew when and where the commander had perished, and Len would be putting his own life in danger. That couldn't possibly be allowed, not when Len Kagamine was the sole heir to the throne. The prince could not be endangered.

''Revenge?'' Len hesitated. ''Perhaps. I do not know. Maybe...maybe not. But I'd certainly want to study them, and see how they're able to sing so beautifully. Maybe then, we can find a way to mimic them and use that in battle. It'd give us an advantage in all future battles, then - no kingdom would want to go to war with a country which could lure all of them to their deaths. Don't you agree, Rinto?''

Rinto hated to admit it, but for once the prince actually made some sense. ''Mimicking the voices of sirens would help - if such creatures really do exist,'' he grudgingly agreed. ''It'd be a strong weapon, and we wouldn't even need to lift a finger to fight our battles. But you simply cannot be allowed to be put in danger. You are the only heir to the throne, and the king would never allow you to be endangered.''

Len's blue eyes dimmed, just a little. ''I've always wanted to know more about sirens. Even before all those reports of sailors' deaths began showing up, all of a sudden...I've always wondered what was so special about their voices, what was it that was so mesmerising that it could cause seamen to lose their heads, just to get nearer to their voices. I've wondered what they look like, too. What they're like.''

''Sirens are dangerous, according to old folklore,'' Rinto stared down at the ground. ''No one knows what they look like. Some say that they're evil old hags, delighting in the deaths of young men. While others say that they have the face of a woman and the body of a vulture, and they cause deaths so that they can feast on the flesh of their victims. I suppose it all depends on which version you believe.''

''But neither of those versions might be true,'' Len argued back. ''No one has ever survived a siren's song before. So everything about sirens is mere speculation - the only thing that everyone knows is that sirens have beautiful voices, since that has been passed down the centuries, from story to story. Their voices are enchanting, weaving a spell over their victims. I...I'd like to hear them sing. Just once.''

''You'd only ever hear them sing once,'' Rinto muttered. ''Because after you finish listening to their song, you would have died.'' He glanced up at his hard-headed cousin, then made his decision. Len wouldn't be dissuaded, he knew from personal experience - it was impossibly difficult to change the blond prince's opinion, when he had set his mind to doing something. Which left only one alternative.

''I'll help you to find a siren.'' Internally, Rinto sighed - he couldn't believe what he was getting himself into. But it was either that, or risk Len sneaking away in the middle of the night just so that he could carry out his insane plan. ''But you have to stay here. Promise me that. Once I find a siren, I'll catch it and bring it back here, for you to see. But only so long as you promise to stay here and not get yourself in trouble.''

Len blinked at him, clearly stunned, before a slight smile curved his lips. ''Very well. I accept what you propose. But then, if you want me to promise that I'll stay here, then you have to make me a promise too - don't get yourself killed, like the many other sailors before you. Because if you die due to a siren, Rinto, I swear I will sail out there myself and avenge your death. Is that understood, cousin?''

Rinto bowed his head in deference to his cousin, whose voice had taken on an authoritative tone. Len rarely ever sounded commanding, but on the occasions he did, Rinto just knew that Len would make a good ruler. ''Understood, my prince. I will leave now, and I swear that I won't get myself killed. I'll return with proof of sirens' existence, or proof that they do not exist - but either way, I assure you I will return.''

''Good,'' Len rose from the bench they were sitting on, his golden hair gleaming in the bright sun. Rinto was struck by how similar they looked - it was like he was staring at his own reflection, in the mirror. ''Then don't disappoint me, cousin. Return with a siren, or with evidence that they do not exist, and I'll be satisfied. For now, I'll stay put,'' a smirk crossed his face as he said that. ''So that you don't have to worry yourself needlessly over me.''

Rinto nodded at Len's words, trusting that the blond prince would keep his promise - the prince was honourable, and he never broke his promises. Intentionally or not. If Len promised that he would stay here, he would. Rinto could put his mind at ease, then. Len was always so reckless, doing things without thinking of possible dangers. This time, Rinto was not allowing the same thing to happen again.

The conversation had taken place an entire week ago, and now Rinto was cursing his ill luck as he lounged aboard his ship. Why on earth had he agreed to this? Shortly after that talk, Len had ordered a small, streamlined ship for him, and had stocked said ship with enough water and food for a month. The ship was small enough that Rinto didn't need a big crew - other than him, there were only two other sailors on board the ship. Which was surprising.

Most sailors who had heard what his voyage was going to be about had shied away, unwilling to be on the same ship as him. He was doomed, they claimed, doomed to a watery grave in the wide open seas. Only these two had been willing to sail with him, but they had conditions - once they reached where sirens were rumoured to dwell, they were going back to the mainland, and he would be alone.

Rinto didn't mind that. The sailors he was with were both experienced seamen, but at the mention of the sirens, both of them had tensed up, unwilling to speak more on the legendary creatures. The only thing they had told him was, there was an uncharted area of the ocean, a part notorious for the deaths of sailors. It was rumoured that numerous sirens lived there, singing their hauntingly beautiful songs.

Now, the two sailors were steering him to that said place, but it was evident from the expressions on their faces that they were anything but excited at the thought of facing a siren. ''We're arriving there soon. It's uncharted waters, so you're going to have to be careful. No one knows what's going on about these parts,'' one of the sailors warned Rinto. Rinto nodded, taking note of the warning.

He would have to be careful, then. At the same time, perhaps he could start mapping down the area. Then it wouldn't be uncharted anymore. Land was slowly coming into view, and at that, the sailors stopped the ship, their faces grave. ''Good luck, sire,'' both the sailors saluted him. ''You're going to need it. It'd be impressive enough to survive an encounter with a siren, let alone capture one and take it with you.''

Rinto smiled. ''I'll be careful. And I'll make sure that I won't fall prey to their enchantments. Thank you for being willing to sail me all the way out here - I'm most grateful for your help.'' After he paid both of them, the two sailors bade him farewell, lowering a boat from the ship and setting off in the direction of safe land. Rinto swallowed and looked out at the open sea, starting to feel a little nervous.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out two earplugs, stuffing them into his ears. Most sailors died because they were unprepared - they didn't expect to be attacked by a siren's song. But Rinto was different. He had sailed here knowing precisely what to expect, and as such he had come well-prepared. As soon as the earplugs went in, an unfamiliar, eerie silence settled over everything. It was unnerving.

Slowly, he began to steer his ship away from land, heading deeper into the uncharted waters. He didn't know when he would finally see a siren, especially since he wouldn't be able to hear their singing - but he trusted that, when he saw one, he would know exactly what it was. Rinto was a skilled seaman - he had learnt at the hands of the commander of their naval fleet, and he knew well how to steer a ship.

He didn't know how much time had passed since he first began to sail into the dangerous open sea. The lack of sound offered no indication that time was passing - everywhere he looked, there was nothing but wide blue sea, and he couldn't see anything of interest. Rinto was beginning to grow bored, as he navigated his way through the open waters. Nothing eventful was happening, so far.

There was fog starting to roll off the waters, and it shrouded everything, limiting his vision. But then, through the mist that was surrounding him, he thought that he was able to make out a small shape - like an island, in fact. It was too far for him to make out anything else, other than the flat shape of what appeared to be land. Eager to step onto solid ground, even if it was only for a while, he set off in that direction.

As he sailed, though, doubts began to fill him. These waters were uncharted - no one knew what was in them. What if the thing he was sailing towards wasn't an island, but something else? Or...what if it was inhabited by something dangerous? Quickly, he pushed aside all of his inhibitions. The thing didn't appear to be moving as he approached it, so he was fairly positive it was an island of some sort.

And if there was anyone there, he was rather sure he could hide from them. Somehow. The mist cleared as he went nearer, and he squinted, trying to make out the indistinct shape. Yes, it was flat, just like land - but now that he was closer, it seemed like there was something on it. A little bump, on the otherwise completely flat land. He wondered what it was. Maybe it was food of some kind.

And then he got even closer, and as he saw that there were jagged rocks surrounding the island, his suspicions grew. Jagged rocks. An island...a siren? Could it be possible? Carefully, he tugged on one of his earplugs, letting some sound in. And at once, he slid the earplug back in, heart racing - in that one brief second, he had heard someone singing, a heart-rending, mournful melody which beckoned and tempted.

He had managed to find his siren. That had to be so. The song...the music he had heard had been melodious, promising him things that he had always wanted, things that he yearned for. Music that was so beautiful, it was unearthly. Determinedly, he reached out, grabbing a coil of rope off its hook, then he slung the coil around his back. Stopping some distance away from the rocks, he took a deep breath.

Then he jumped off the ship, diving into the grey sea. He was sure that he would be able to swim to the island and back fast enough to ensure the ship wouldn't smash into the rocks. He was a fast swimmer, and now he glided effortlessly through the sea, feeling himself calm down. He had always loved water and swimming, and now the water soothed him, making him feel like he was at peace.

Soon, he had swum to the island, but the mist that enshrouded everything prevented him from making out the siren. Gritting his teeth, he carefully manoeuvred past the jagged rocks, making sure not to swim into them. He didn't want to die, not when he was so close to his goal. The waters grew shallower, and soon he found his feet stepping on land. He cast a glance back - the rocks were behind him, ominous and foreboding, but he had made it past them.

Now all that was left was to find the siren. His fingers drifted to the dagger, strapped to his hips - if the siren tried to do...anything to him, he would be prepared. Determinedly, he made his way deeper into the rocky island, his footsteps heavy with seawater as it dripped off his soaked clothes. The fog was cold, and he shivered in the cool air - the wet clothes clung to him, making him feel uncomfortable.

How big was this island, though? He hoped it wouldn't be too big - the siren could be hiding anywhere. Luck was clearly on his side today, however. Before long, he could vaguely make out a figure, hidden by the mists, huddled up on the ground. The figure was sitting on a small hill. He assumed that the hill was the little bump he had seen on the island, earlier, when he had been steering his ship out at sea.

He was thankful that this wouldn't take too long. This whole place gave him a sense of unease, and the fact that he was in unmapped, dangerous territory made him wary. He just wanted to capture the siren and leave this place as soon as possible, so that he could go back to the relative safety of mapped waters. He approached the figure, and this time he could vaguely hear singing through his earplugs.

It was as mournful, as beckoning as ever, the haunting melody, and he shivered. This time, it wasn't from cold. Shaking his head, he pushed the song aside - he could hear it, but it wasn't loud enough to make him lose his senses. The fog cleared as he walked up to the figure, and for the first time ever, he laid eyes upon a siren. What he saw filled him with shock, as he stared at the figure curled up on the ground.

He hadn't known what to expect. No one knew what sirens looked like, after all. But all tales claimed that sirens were ugly, so he had expected this siren to be...repulsive, to say the least. But he had thought wrong. He was wrong - everyone was wrong, wrong about what sirens looked like. What sirens looked like was completely different from what all the stories said, and he hadn't been prepared for that.

The siren he had finally set his eyes upon was beautiful. Hauntingly beautiful, just like the song she was singing. Her long hair was silky, a unique shade of teal, and it swept around her hips. Her body was slender and petite, her skin so pale that it was almost white. But her face...her face was what startled him the most. Try as he might, he couldn't tear himself away from her face, away from that exquisite beauty.

Her eyes were closed as she sang, her eyelashes brushing against her soft cheeks. Her features were perfect, delicate, and they exuded an air of...vulnerability. Her lips were parted, and they were a soft shade of pink - full and luscious, he thought that her lips were the most kissable lips he had ever seen. She looked so slight and gentle, like she couldn't hurt a fly...yet she had lured sailors to their deaths.

He couldn't underestimate her. Quickly, he reached out, covering her mouth with his hand. Silence fell as the song was stopped, and her eyes snapped open, staring up at him. They were a beautiful shade of deep emerald, and they were filled with slightly lighter flecks of green. As she looked at him, he noticed the shock in her eyes - and underneath that shock, a terror which made him feel...guilty.

Her skin was soft. He tried not to think about that. Methodically, he removed his hand, quickly stuffing a handkerchief into her mouth so that she couldn't sing. Using his rope, he bound her arms behind her back, preventing her from taking the makeshift gag out, and also so that she wouldn't flail around too much. Then he lifted her up, into his arms - she struggled, but he didn't release her, his grip remaining firm.

She was so light, he barely registered her weight. Her scent filled his senses, and he gritted his teeth. She didn't smell like the sea...she smelled like roses. The scent of blooming roses. He wondered why. It wasn't like she lived near roses or anything of that sort - he couldn't see any other living being on this island, besides the both of them. Where had the sweet scent of roses come from?

Resolutely, he turned, walking away, the siren still trying to escape from his grasp. His eyes narrowed at her, then he reached to the belt around his waist. Harshly, he pulled out the dagger, miming slashing it across her throat. To prove a point, he pressed the tip lightly against her arm, and she flinched away. The terror in her eyes intensified, and he couldn't help feeling that same sense of irritating guilt.

She had lured sailors to their death before...he had to remember that she wasn't innocent, despite the way she looked, dressed in a simple, ragged white dress. Somehow, the dress was still a pure white, even though she had been lying on the dirty ground, and the pure white shone through the fog, showing him the way forward. Stuffing the dagger back into its holster, he adjusted his grip on her.

He had succeeded in capturing what he had wanted - now, all he had left to do was to sail back to his country, and show Len exactly what kind of creature they were dealing with.


	2. Chapter 2

Rinto realised that he had completely no idea where he was going. Gritting his teeth, he let his hands smack against the steering wheel, shivering a little as the cold fog clung on to his dripping clothes. It was freezing.

After capturing the siren and threatening her with his dagger, she hadn't struggled at all, not even once. Her large green eyes had stared up at him in fear as she remained still and unmoving in his arms. He was actually rather thankful that she had not tried to struggle - otherwise he knew it would have been much more difficult to drag her through the grey ocean waters, back to his awaiting ship.

Leaving her bound and gagged, he had somehow managed to carry her and, at the same time, climb up the rope ladder which he had thrown over the side of the ship, before he had jumped overboard into the sea. After that, he had locked her inside his room on the ship, in the captain's room. And then he had intended to find his way out of these godforsaken waters and make it to land for a bit of a rest.

Obviously, things weren't going quite exactly the way he had planned. Letting out a growl of frustration, Rinto shook his head, raising his hand to push his dripping wet blond hair out of his eyes. With his soaked clothes and the chilly mist, he was freezing. Nor did he have any idea where he was - it wasn't a good combination. Rinto was in a ridiculously bad mood, and someone was going to suffer for that.

Stomping back down the length of the ship, he went down the stairs and threw open the door to the captain's room, the water in his boots sloshing around uncomfortably as he walked. He hadn't bothered to lock the door for he knew there was no way the siren could possibly turn the doorknob - and true enough, there lay the prize his prince had so wanted, still bound up and helpless on the wooden floor.

Aggravated, he strode over towards her, ignoring the subtle widening of her already large green eyes. Roughly, he reached up to yank the earplugs out of his ears. He had put those earplugs in the moment he had left her behind in the room - not because he feared that she would somehow manage to spit out her gag, but because he didn't want to risk being enchanted by any of the other sirens that were possibly still dwelling in these waters.

He was in an unknown area, a place where nothing was confirmed...nothing other than the fact that usually, when sailors and such sailed into this place, they rarely ever managed to make it out alive. And the ones who actually succeeded in breaking free of the clinging mists that settled over these parts were usually extremely shaken, seamen who had been driven to the very edge of insanity itself.

These waters were rumoured to be the territory of the sirens, those beings whose dangerously alluring singing had driven countless seamen to their deaths. What better way was there to escape from the home of the sirens, than to ask a siren herself? He had absolutely no doubts that this seemingly harmless siren he had managed to capture would know of a way to navigate here.

The earplugs were slid into his wet pocket, and then Rinto crouched down before the little siren, him glaring into her frightened eyes the whole while. He ignored both that look of terror and the feeling of guilt he felt rising up within him - nothing was more important to him now than getting out of these dangerous waters. Despite that though, courtesy and his royal upbringing still lingered in him, and he knew he couldn't just demand for answers. That would be rude.

''What's your name?'' he asked her, trying to smooth his hostile expression into something that was less angry and slightly more polite. She shrank back away from him, shaking her head slowly, and again Rinto sighed. He had been sighing a lot on this little voyage. Reaching out, ignoring the way she flinched away from his approaching hand, he gently took the balled up handkerchief out of her mouth.

''The gag is gone,'' he said matter-of-factly. ''I'm...rather certain that you can speak?'' The statement sounded more like a question - while he had been saying it, he had realised that he couldn't be sure whether or not she was able to speak. He couldn't be sure whether there had been lyrics to her song, or whether it had been just a simple, mournful melody without any words. The only thing he was certain of was that the music had been hauntingly beautiful.

''I can speak,'' she nodded hesitantly, and he blinked at her, startled by her sudden words. But she said no more after that, and if it were not for the fact that he had seen her lips move, he would've thought that he had just imagined the whole thing. Her voice...like her singing, it was melodious, enchantingly beautiful. It was the kind of voice which soothingly reassured and beckoned, a voice which promised to take away every single one of your worries...

He shook his head, snapping out of his trance. No, this was not the time to let himself be affected by her voice. ''What's your name?'' he repeated, simply because of politeness. It was strange that he felt this urge to be courteous to her - after all, he had just kidnapped her. Courtesy wasn't really very important right then. Maybe it was because of her fragility...he just didn't want to demand, or to snap at her.

''Miku,'' this time, her voice was nothing but a soft whisper. ''Miku Hatsune,'' her green eyes flicked up to meet his, then hastily she averted her gaze, staring back at the floor. Other than that, she said nothing else, and Rinto frowned - she didn't seem to be very conversational. Then again, perhaps it was because he had just kidnapped her. Taking someone against their will tended to alter that person's behaviour.

Not that he would know from personal experience, of course. He had heard of that from some of the guards in the palace, back home. They had dealt with hostages from wars before, and the guards said that usually such victims were either quiet and withdrawn, or forceful and demanding. This siren appeared to be the former, rather than the latter. He supposed that was a good thing for him.

''I'm Rinto Kagamine,'' he finally offered, unsure of what else to say. She didn't react to his words, still staring down at the floor she was sitting down on. He felt that there was no more point to being so polite to her, and instantly his courteous attitude changed. It was time to demand for information. ''How do you get out of here?'' he asked her, once again reaching up to carelessly flick his wet hair out of his eyes.

Her eyes snapped up, her gaze following his movements warily. She shook her head, and he took that to mean that she didn't want to tell him anything. His eyes narrowed down at her - no matter how fragile looking she seemed, he wasn't going to relent until she gave him the answers that he sought. ''I'm not asking nicely for the information. I'm demanding it. And if I don't get an answer, you'll be...in some pain.''

She flinched at his words, and again he had to quell this unfamiliar sense of guilt - why did he keep getting so affected by this siren? ''I don't know anything,'' she said softly, her eyes darting rapidly between him and the wooden door. He wondered if she was estimating the distance she had to run to get to freedom. To break away from him, and return to the sea. He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

''How could you not know anything?'' he snapped, impatient. ''You live in these parts! You're a siren! How could you possibly have no idea how to get out of here?'' he resisted the urge to reach out and throttle her. He was getting desperate and impatient, and that wasn't very good for either him or her. His already bad mood was getting worse, and her uncooperative-ness was not helping matters.

She ducked her head, squirming a little away from him - even through his impatient annoyance, he was still rather surprised to notice that she made no attempt to break away from her bonds. Did she know that she wasn't strong enough to break free of her bindings? Or was she, in fact, capable of escaping the ropes which trapped her? Was she biding her time, waiting for an opportune moment to escape?

''I'm a very young siren,'' her voice was once again a soft whisper, but that whisper made him want to lean closer to her so that he could listen to more of that beguiling voice. ''I've only lived on that island for sixteen years, and I've never once stepped off its shores. This is the first time I've left my island, and I have no better idea than you as to how to leave here.'' Promptly, she shut her mouth, looking away.

Rinto frowned. If what she said was true, then...''How am I supposed to get out of here now?'' he groaned, backing away from her. ''Compasses aren't of any use - the compass needle is going haywire. And there aren't any charts or maps of this area. Am I doomed to sail around in these grey waters for the rest of my life?'' he snarled, whipping his dagger out and throwing it at the wall of the room.

The sharp blade flew straight, impaling itself in the wooden wall of the room, right next to a painting of a sunny, welcoming tropical island which was surrounded by crystal clear waters. He stared morosely at the painting, absent-mindedly comparing the turquoise of that painted ocean to the grey waters of the one he was currently sailing in. The blade was still quivering, the handle shaking slightly from the impact, and sadly he stared at the dagger.

He was going to die here and never be able to leave. He would be stuck sailing in these waters for the rest of eternity - provided he didn't die from starvation or dehydration first. Oh, and there was always the risk that another siren might catch him off guard, and he would sail his ship right into another rocky island. And drown. Oh, the joy. He had come so far and captured a genuine siren, just to die so insignificantly.

Then, through his haze of misery, he heard someone beginning to sing. His head snapped around, and he tried to reach out to cover her mouth - but then the mesmerising music registered, and then he was unable to resist the overwhelming urge to just approach her and watch. The siren, Miku Hatsune, was singing again, her eyes closed as she sang peacefully. The music was beautiful...so beautiful that he couldn't do anything other than to listen to it.

He couldn't decipher the words - they were in a tongue other than his own. But the words flowed like liquid, smooth and lilting. Drawn helplessly to the song that she sang, he sat and listened, unable to do anything other than gaze at the siren, enthralled by her voice. She sounded wonderful, like a choir of angels. A song that promised happiness and bliss, that promised him everything he desired for...

It was the kind of music that people would kill to listen to. Would die to get closer to. Mesmerised by her and her song, he couldn't help but want to get even closer...and closer...to her, wanting to possess her so that no one other than him would ever be able to listen to that hauntingly alluring melody. Her voice and her song were both priceless treasures, and he wasn't going to let anyone steal them away.

His hands reached out, his fingers lightly running down against her cheek. She didn't react to that, she was so absorbed in her singing - nor did he react, for he hadn't even noticed the unconscious act. His entire mind focused on the melodious singing alone, he didn't notice the way his hands caressed her face, tracing patterns across her smooth and delicate cheek. Her lips...looked so tempting.

Leaning forward, attracted to her voice, he closed his eyes and let his lips brush lightly against her own, covering her soft mouth. The moment he did that, he felt her tense and stop singing. Rinto was immediately released from the enchantment of her song, and regaining his senses he instantly pulled away from her, confused about what he had just done. Her eyes snapped open as he withdrew, looking just as confused as he felt. What had he been doing?

Instantly, he reached into his pocket and drew out the earplugs, stuffing them firmly inside his ears. Heart pounding, he rose from the cabin floor, almost sprinting out of the room in his haste to get away from the siren. Confusion filled him like a toxin, making him question his own determination - he was unable to resist the allure of a siren's song, and he had been unable to resist kissing those tempting lips.

Shaking his head, he returned to the steering wheel of the ship. His lips set into a firm line as he once again sailed in deafening silence. No, he'd rather starve and die out in the seas, than go back to that cabin and face the siren again.


	3. Chapter 3

Naturally, after a while, Rinto was beginning to become even more frustrated by his situation. It was rare for Rinto to get frustrated, as he was known to be patient and even tempered.

But even he had his limits. He didn't even know for how long had he been sailing around in these waters, with no end in sight. Rinto didn't want to die, especially not out here, with no one but the siren for company. He gritted his teeth - if he got out of this alive, he was never going to sail away from his country, not ever again. He didn't even know whether he wanted to sail anymore, after this kind of experience.

He knew that he had sworn not to talk to the siren, not after...that. After he had kissed her. The siren was a danger to his very sanity, after all. Having anything to do with the siren would probably drive him insane - especially not when he was unable to resist the temptation that she presented. He swallowed at the thought. The moment she began singing, he had been unable to resist getting as close to her as he could...

This was a frustrating dilemma. Should he swallow his pride, surrender his will, and talk to her again? After all, even if she didn't know how to get out of here...at least, she might be able to tell him other things. Information which might help him to survive in these unknown waters. If he didn't try talking to her again, it was almost certain that he would die a painful death here, and no one would even know.

And perhaps, if he talked to the siren...even if there wasn't anything she could say to help him survive here, at least he might have some form of communication. The constant silence and lack of conversation was driving him mad. He hated this solitary confinement, and the utter boredom he felt was killing him, inside. Maybe talking to the siren about her history would, at least, help to alleviate this said boredom.

After a long consideration, he finally decided that he would rather survive than keep his pride. Slowly, he went back towards the room the siren was in, shaking his drying blond hair out of his eyes. _I can't believe that I'm going to talk to her, even after I told myself that I wouldn't try to do that again..._he sighed. Then again, desperate men did foolish things. And he was most definitely desperate, right now.

He hesitated as his fingers wrapped around the doorknob. He could still walk away and return to the steering wheel, he told himself. Perhaps he would somehow be able to find a way out of here, without having to rely on the siren...but in his heart, he knew that it wasn't possible. There was no way he would be able to get out of these waters, not by himself. And most certainly not without some form of assistance.

Turning the doorknob, he let himself inside the room. The siren glanced up as he walked in, wariness sparking in her eyes once more. The two of them regarded each other, both suspicious of the other. ''If I take out the earplugs, will you promise not to sing?'' Rinto asked, even though he was not able to hear himself say anything. The siren blinked, then slowly, she gave a cautious nod.

She shifted against her bindings, the action almost unnoticeable, but Rinto saw it. He didn't like the emotion he felt, as he saw the ropes chafing against her slender arms. Before, at the thought of capturing a siren, it had seemed just like...catching an animal, to him. But as he stared at her now, capturing this siren seemed uncomfortably like...kidnapping a human girl. And he didn't exactly like the thought of that.

Rinto reached up, pulling the earplugs out. Silence met his ears, complete silence other than the hypnotic crashing of waves against the ship's hull, outside. He stared at the siren - what was her name? Miku Hatsune, he remembered. He tried to choose his next words carefully. ''I...apologise for what I did, earlier,'' he began, thinking that was the best thing to start with. ''For, you know. Kissing you.''

''No offence taken,'' she murmured, her voice as soft, as mesmerising as ever. He blinked, shaking his head to rid himself of that thought. ''Maybe I shouldn't have sang. I hadn't known what would happen, or how it would affect you, if I sang...usually, when I sing, nothing seems to happen,'' she frowned. ''Nothing that I notice, anyway,'' she added. ''You are the first person I have ever sang in front of...''

Rinto blinked. Didn't she know that she had probably lured sailors to their deaths, before? ''But...how could you not know of the effect your voice has, upon people?'' he questioned her bluntly. ''Don't you see those ships crashing into your island? You're a siren, are you not?'' he watched as she blinked, looking faintly startled, before she slowly nodded. ''Siren's songs have longed lured human sailors to their deaths...''

Suddenly, her eyes glinted with understanding. ''Ah, I see...'' she echoed. ''Really? I hadn't known that the songs of sirens would have such an effect upon humans...I know of your stories of sirens,'' she said softly, her green eyes flicking up to meet his. ''That we're bloodthirsty creatures who sing, luring humans to their deaths as they sail towards the sound of our voices, unable to resist the allure.''

''Yes...before they end up drowning, their ships having been dashed into tiny bits on the rocky shores of your island,'' his voice hardened as he spoke, and she flinched at his tone. Rinto tried to soften his words. ''But from what you seem to imply...are you saying that it is not the sirens who are responsible for doing this?'' he asked, confusion swirling through him. But it had to be. He had heard her singing before.

Her singing was irresistible, and he would understand if any sailor were to lose control, wanting to get nearer and nearer to her voice. But then, if that really happened to be the case, why didn't she seem to know anything about all those deaths? Unless the sirens were not the beings who were responsible for the deaths of the sailors - but then, if they weren't the ones, who else could it possibly be?

''I don't know if I had caused anyone to drown, while on my island,'' she looked so...ashamed. ''You've seen it,'' she added, her green eyes flicking away from him. ''I live so far inland, and I don't pay attention to my surroundings...I don't even know when there's a ship nearby. To be honest, you're the first man I've ever seen, dead or alive, since I don't ever move away from my spot on the island...'' her voice trailed off.

Except for now. Since he had kidnapped her. Rinto, again, tried to quell the feeling of guilt he felt welling up within him. ''Some of our stories state that the reason why sirens lure sailors to their deaths...is so that they can feast on the flesh of the dead men. Stories say that sirens live on the flesh of drowned sailors,'' he noticed the look of disgust which crossed her features. ''I take it that this is not the case?''

''Of course not!'' she sounded appalled. He saw her twitch in her bindings. Agitation, maybe? ''That's disgusting! Sirens are peaceful people. We only want to sing, because music is in our blood,'' she stared off, away from him. ''Sea birds bring food for us, on our small islands,'' she explained to him. ''They bring us fruits and such, and in return we sing for them. They enjoy our songs, but they're not helplessly attracted to the music...unlike you, I suppose.''

''Unlike humans in general,'' he corrected her. He absorbed the new information that he had learnt. If sirens were a peaceful people who only wanted to sing, and sailors were just the unfortunate humans who had happened to cross their paths...''You seemed unsurprised to know that sirens had such an magnetic effect on humans, even though you hadn't known of that earlier. May I know why is that so?''

The siren nodded, her teal hair falling around her face, the ends pooling on the wooden floor. She shifted in her bindings once again, and he sighed. His damned conscience didn't allow him to stay here, free to move around, while she had to remain in discomfort on the hard, wooden floor. And especially not while she was bound tightly, and no doubt uncomfortably, by the ropes. Walking to her, he crouched down.

As he stared at her arms, he pondered the wisdom of letting her free. The tealette twisted around, her lips parting in confusion as she stared at him, clearly getting ready to say something. He glanced back up at her. ''Wait. I'll undo the ropes for you...but only if your swear that you will not run away once I do that,'' his voice hardened. ''Will you? Swear on what you hold most dear to your heart...Miku.''

He noticed her stiffen when he used her name. ''I...swear,'' she said hesitantly. ''I swear on my voice that I will not run away from you.'' Rinto nodded. So the thing that she held the most dear to herself was her voice. That was an very interesting piece of information - then again, he supposed that, for beings who wished to do nothing more than to sing, of course their voices would be their most precious possessions.

Quickly, he untied the ropes which bound her. Then, he scooped the delicate girl up into his arms, setting her down on his bed so that she no longer had to rest on the hard floor. He settled himself next to her, watching her carefully. The siren cautiously patted the bed she was sitting on, her wide-eyed gaze meeting his. ''What is this contraption?'' she asked. ''It is so soft. Just like the feathers of an albatross.''

''It's a bed. Humans sleep on it,'' he answered patiently. Given that she had probably lived on that rocky little island all her life, he wasn't exactly surprised that she didn't know what a bed was. ''So...you were going to tell me why you weren't surprised to hear of the alluring quality that a siren's voice held, for humans?'' he questioned lightly, waiting for her reply.

She nodded. ''I didn't know that sirens had voices which humans found irresistible. But I knew about...other creatures, whose voices were capable of stopping animals in their tracks, unable to escape. For it is said that their voices are truly magical, even more so than ours. They are the undines, the more...warlike counterpart to the sirens,'' she hesitated. ''Usually, undines are the ones who kill.''

Rinto blinked. Undines? He didn't know much about those creatures, but he knew enough to understand that it was best to avoid them. ''Aren't undines supposed to be...water elementals?'' he asked her slowly. ''I've never heard of undines being able to sing, before. Though what I do know is that they are malicious water spirits who delight in drowning human sailors, just to entertain themselves. What are they, really?'' he asked curiously.

The siren smiled. ''Undines are like us,'' she answered simply. ''They're just an older, more powerful version of sirens. And not all of them are evil, though admittedly some of them do find drowning people very entertaining. They're simply...a rather hostile people. Some of them leave the seas to find humans to marry, in the hopes that doing so will give them a soul,'' her gaze turned sad. ''We have no souls, you see.''

''No souls?'' he echoed. ''We...meaning, even the sirens?'' she nodded, her forest green gaze still distant. Wistful. ''So they marry humans in the hopes that doing so would turn them human too, then.'' She nodded. ''If sirens have no souls either...do they try to do the same thing as the undines? Leave their islands and settle in the land of men?'' At that, she shook her head. Rinto frowned, confused. ''Why not, then?''

''Undines are free. Sirens are not. Sirens are bound to their islands, and they cannot leave. Not until they are called for by the Undine Queen. Or, like in this very rare case...if they're kidnapped off their islands,'' her gaze met his, then flickered away. ''Otherwise, we're bound to our island's shores, for our whole lives. Which can be for a very long time, since we're nearly immortal. Our numbers are few, though.''

He cocked his head. ''I see...'' his voice turned contemplative. ''Why would the Undine Queen call for a siren, though?'' he asked her. ''What would this Queen...ask of you?'' he laced his fingers together, watching her curiously. Her gaze dropped to the bed, trained on the white bedsheets, and she seemed to be...trying to avoid his gaze. Not that he knew why.

''So that the siren can become an undine,'' she answered. He jerked, startled by the answer, and hastily she glanced back up. ''We do not like the thought any more than you do,'' she assured him. ''We are a peaceful people, and we dislike conflict. The undines are as different from us as night from day. But...if we give up this chance to become an undine, then we will never have a chance to leave our islands,'' she sighed.

''I see,'' he repeated softly. ''Would you want to become an undine, though? You say that they are a warlike people, and they seem to enjoy strife and conflict. Which, as you claim, is completely different from the peaceful sirens. Would you give that peaceful life up, just for a chance to leave the shores of your island? If I hadn't come and...kidnapped you,'' he quelled the guilt he could feel, ''would you do that?''

She met his gaze squarely. ''I would,'' she answered. ''The sea birds...they tell me stories of the human world. I know of the fairytale, The Little Mermaid. Did she not give up her voice, just to get a pair of legs and explore the human world? She loved her voice, but she gave it up for a chance with the man she loved. The sirens are the same, Rinto. We would do anything to escape the rocky cages we're all trapped in.''

He blinked, startled. It was the first time he had heard her use his name. But he supposed he could understand what she meant. In times of desperation, people would do anything...anything to get out of their situations. Much like him, and much like the sirens, it seemed. ''Did the Queen ever call out for you, then?'' he asked her, leaning back against the wall. She shook her head, looking faintly morose.

''No. I'm too young. I'm only sixteen,'' she hesitated. ''In human years,'' she added in a low voice. ''In siren years, I am little more than an infant. One human century is equivalent to one siren year. We develop into adulthood as quickly as humans, but after we look to be in our early twenties, we stop aging physically,'' she glanced away from him. ''I'm too young to be considered for anything,'' she sighed, her voice soft.

She was younger than he was. Rinto was surprised by that - he had assumed that she was actually older than she looked. Rinto himself was nineteen, the same age as his cousin, Len. She was three years younger than he was...he shook his head, a thought occurring to him. ''Are the undines friendly towards the sirens?'' he asked her, trying to meet her vivid green gaze. Again, she looked away.

''Somewhat?'' she sounded hesitant. ''The undines treat the sirens as their...younger sisters, I suppose. Patiently, but with a hint of exasperation,'' her lips curved up slightly, into a small smile. ''Sirens and undines belong to the same family, after all. But why do you ask about that?'' her wistful tone became suspicious, and she turned to stare piercingly at him.

''Would you know how to find an undine, then?'' he asked her, ignoring her question. Her green eyes narrowed a little at him, before she finally nodded. He shot her a satisfied smile - he felt that he had managed to find his way out of these seas. So long as Miku was willing to cooperate with him, he knew that it was likely he would be able to sail out of these parts.

A separate part of his mind wondered why she still had yet to make any attempt to escape. He wondered if it was just so she could satisfy her curiosity about the world. From what she had said earlier, it sounded like she longed to explore the world outside her rocky island. Perhaps she was willing to sail with him, so long as she didn't have to return to her island again. He supposed it was plausible.

''You say that some undines leave the seas and settle in the lands of men,'' he explained. ''It would make sense that the undines know how to navigate these parts, since they are able to find their way out of here, into the world of humans. If we can find an undine, and you can persuade her to help us, then I'll be able to get out of here.'' Miku's green eyes brightened a little as she understood what he wanted.

''That sounds like a good plan,'' she agreed shyly. ''But promise me one thing?'' He cocked his head, waiting for her to say what she wished. Again, she ducked her head, her porcelain cheeks turning a pale shade of pink. ''If I help you with finding an undine, and get her to lead us out of here...then take me away from here, as well,'' she whispered. ''But don't hurt me. I want to stay with you,'' she added.

He blinked, startled by what she had just said. After some consideration, he nodded - he wouldn't be hurting her, by bringing her back to his homeland. And she would be able to stay with him, if she really wished to do so...not that he understood why. Perhaps it was because he was the first human she had ever laid eyes upon? ''I agree to that. So, what do we have to do, in order to find an undine?'' he asked.

Miku smiled. ''Nothing. We wait,'' she turned, staring out of the open door. ''I know that one particular undine will be very concerned for me - enough to come and look for me, wondering how I had managed to get off my island...'' the siren met his curious gaze. ''My mother.''


End file.
